SCO News
CENTER FOR FAMILY LIFE IN SUNSET PARK 10th Annual Sister Mary Geraldine Symposium
August 12, 2015 / SCO News
Please join us for a dialogue on the role that economic stability and workforce engagement plays in the lives and futures of families in the child welfare system. The conversation will feature policy makers from several of the City's key workforce development funders, as well as policy makers and advisors from key child welfare service providers. We look forward to including your voice in this discussion. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015 9AM - 12NOON FEDERATION OF PROTESTANT WELFARE AGENCIES 40 Broad Street, 5th Floor, NYC
Read More2015 SCO Annual Benefit Raises Record-Breaking Funds
June 1, 2015 / SCO News
SCO Family of Services honored FJC Security Services, led by Chairman and founder Frank J. Califano, Sr., at the SCO 2015 Annual Benefit on May 29th at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove. The Benefit raised record amounts, which will help SCO provide life-changing results for more than 60,000 children, teens, adults and families every year. SCO’s newly-appointed Executive Director Doug O’Dell presented the Shepherd’s Award to FJC Security Services, which has for more than a decade provided security services for six shelters managed by SCO, serving more than 1,000 people each day.
Read MoreSCO’s Center for Family Life Celebrates Community
May 22, 2015 / SCO News
Thanks to our dedicated staff and generous supporters, the 2015 Center for Family Life's Celebrating Community benefit was a major success! We were proud to honor Anne Sherman, Outgoing Chair of the Center for Family Life Advisory Board, as well as the Kiwanis Club of Parkway East.
Read MoreACS Close to Home Teens Visit Washington, D.C. Historical Sites
May 21, 2015 / Independent Youth News
At 5:15 am on Friday, May 8, six young men and five staff members from the 128th Street, Close to Home non-secure placement facility in Ozone Park, Queens, left for a whirlwind weekend trip to Washington, D.C. Taking the young men to the nation’s capital grew out of a partnership with Unlocking Futures-Warrior Program, a mentoring project for young men, and a desire for the teens to learn about U.S. history. Ed Michel, the group leader at the residence run by SCO Family of Services, created a full, well-organized three-day itinerary. To prepare, Ed researched extensively before the trip so he could offer the young men meaningful lessons. Here, Ed recounts the trip and what he hopes the teens got out of it: “The number one thing I reiterated to these young people was ‘This trip this is not only about you. This is about other young people who are in the same situation, or will be, to have the opportunity to leave New York State’…Our young people suffer… because they are not often exposed to a lot of different things …they only know the four corners of their neighborhood…A trip like this can be a catalyst to reduce recidivism and …to push forward.
Read MoreDedicated Staff & Partners Help Shelter Families Move Forward
May 20, 2015 / SCO News
SCO Family of Services will honor FJC Security Services, led by Chairman and founder Frank J. Califano, Sr., at the SCO Annual Benefit at Nassau Country Club on May 29th. FJC has for more than a decade provided security services for six shelters managed by SCO serving more than 1,000 people each day. Thanks to the dedicated service by FJC and all of SCO’s shelter staff, we are able to help individuals and families in need – like the Santiagos and Cajigas, whose stories are shared below – to build a strong foundation for the future.
Read MoreDoug O’Dell Named SCO Executive Director
May 15, 2015 / SCO News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SCO Family of Services Appoints Douglas O’Dell as Executive Director An Experienced Leader and Trailblazer for Serving Youth who are in Foster Care, Court-involved or have Special Needs New York – May 14 - SCO Family of Services’ Board of Directors announced today the appointment of Douglas O’Dell as Executive Director of the 120-year-old human services organization serving some 60,000 New Yorkers a year. O’Dell, a widely respected leader in the field, was appointed SCO’s Interim Executive Director on November 1, 2014, and previously served as one of SCO’s key executives in the capacity of Chief Program Officer. “After a six month search, the Board decided unanimously that O’Dell is the candidate who can best lead SCO in our longstanding commitment to deliver high-quality services to vulnerable children, families and adults,” said Kelly Williams, Chair of the SCO Board of Directors. "I am honored to serve as Executive Director of SCO Family of Services, an organization dedicated to excellence and to achieving life-changing results for the people we serve. Together with my hardworking and committed colleagues, and our generous and supportive Board of Directors, I look forward to ensuring that SCO continues to meet and exceed the highest standards and is well prepared to meet the challenges of human service delivery in the future," said Douglas O’Dell, Executive Director.
Read MoreMadonna Heights 34th Annual Fashion Show Draws Nearly 300 Supporters
April 30, 2015 / Madonna Heights News
Three hundred local supporters celebrated the Madonna Heights Ladies Auxiliary’s 34th Annual Dinner and Fashion Show at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury on April 29th to benefit SCO Family of Services’ Madonna Heights programs. Madonna Heights serves adolescent girls recovering from trauma and women in recovery at its Dix Hills campus, and also provides an on-campus mental health clinic and shelters for women and their children. “The commitment of the Ladies Auxiliary to the young women in our Madonna Heights programs is inspirational,” said Douglas O’Dell, Interim Executive Director of SCO Family of Services. “They exemplify what ‘giving back’ is all about.”
Read MoreSCO/Family Dynamics supporters raised critical funds at 5th Annual FD Art Auction
April 29, 2015 / SCO News
Some 200 art-loving supporters celebrated the SCO/Family Dynamics 5th Annual Art Auction & Cocktail Party on April 28th at Site/109 in Manhattan. The successful sale of 26 pieces of artwork by local and nationally-renowned artists at live and silent auctions raised critical funds for SCO/Family Dynamics’ after-school art programming, which serves hundreds of children and teens in high-need communities throughout Central Brooklyn.
Read MoreCFL students and staff rally to save after-school programs
April 24, 2015 / Independent Youth News
Staff and families from SCO's Center for Family Life in Sunset Park joined a crowd of community members who rallied at Brooklyn Borough Hall on April 23rd, calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to fund 17 after-school programs in high-need neighborhoods that would be forced to close this summer unless the mayor allocates additional funding. Center for Family Life programs based at PS94 and PS169 in Sunset Park, are among the six Brooklyn programs in jeopardy.
Read MoreSCO Program Leaders Participate in Early Childhood Development Forum Panel
April 15, 2015 / SCO News
SCO's Maggie Petrosky - Director, Nurse Family Partnership & Parent-Child Home Program and Chanda Hill - Assistant Executive Director of Program Services (overseeing SCO's Early Childhood Programs) were among the Early Childhood leaders who served as panelists at the Early Childhood Development Forum in Brooklyn, hosted by Borough President Eric Adams and the Parent-Child Home Program, National Center. The forum brought together thought leaders, direct service organizations and policy makers to discuss the importance of early childhood education and care, specifically between the ages of 0-3.
Read MoreSCO Celebrates National Volunteer Week 2015!
April 13, 2015 / SCO News
SCO Family of Services is celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 12-18, 2015) by recognizing our outstanding volunteers. SCO provides vital human services to more than 60,000 vulnerable New Yorkers every year, thanks in part to the support of more than 950 dedicated volunteers, who collectively volunteered more than 3,443 hours over the last year. In honor of National Volunteer Week, SCO is taking the opportunity to express the gratitude we feel toward every one of our supporters all year long, as well as to give special recognition to several particularly dedicated individuals and corporate volunteers: Gap, Inc. SCO’s ongoing relationship with Gap, Inc. has yielded friendships, amazing events and unparalleled support for our life-changing work. Gap’s volunteers have consistently brought behind-the-scenes organizational support to our major events – helping to sell raffle tickets, directing models down the runway, preparing baskets for silent auction, and helping to keep the events running smoothly. During the past year, Banana Republic Factory Store volunteers have mentored youth in our Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) during Work Readiness and Interview Skills workshops in Brooklyn. In 2014, 125 Gap, Inc. staffers logged 538 volunteer hours supporting SCO. The Gap volunteers are professional, generous and enthusiastic, and always go above and beyond!
Read MoreSCO’s Sandy Moya Appears on Immigration Forum Panel in Queens
April 10, 2015 / SCO News
Vice Chair Crowley, Assemblyman Moya Host Immigration Forum in Jackson Heights Crowley, Moya meet with local community to discuss executive action on immigration and what’s next for the NY DREAM Act (Queens, NY) – On Wednesday, April 8, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, along with NYS Assembly Member Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights) hosted an immigration forum to give members of the local community an opportunity to hear from leaders and experts on the status of President Obama’s executive action on immigration, and the future of the NY DREAM Act, among other topics.
Read MoreGarden of Dreams Foundation Awards SCO Student ‘Inspire Scholarship’
April 9, 2015 / SCO News
We are excited that Austin Van Schaick of Baldwin, NY, a student at our Westbrook Preparatory School in Westbury, is one of the inaugural recipients of Garden of Dreams’ Inspire Scholarships. Congrats, Austin! Read the full announcement below: THE GARDEN OF DREAMS FOUNDATION LAUNCHES INSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Foundation that works with The Madison Square Garden Company continues to change the lives of children in need throughout the tri-state area Twelve $10,000 renewable college scholarships to be awarded each year; first round of recipients announced NEW YORK, NY – (April 9, 2015) – The Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization that works closely with The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) to help children in need, has launched the Garden of Dreams Inspire Scholarship program, which will award twelve $10,000 renewable college scholarships each year to high school seniors from the Foundation’s partner organizations. The first recipients of these new scholarships were announced today.
Read MoreSCO Family of Services Celebrating Annual Benefit to Support Vulnerable Children & Families
April 9, 2015 / SCO News
Honorees Include FJC Security Services, Inc. of Floral Park and Steven and Leslie Marentis of Old Brookville GLEN COVE, NY – SCO Family of Services, a leading provider of human services in New York, on May 29th will celebrate its annual benefit at Nassau Country Club to support programs and services provided each year to more than 60,000 children, teens, adults and families at over 110 locations throughout Long Island and New York City. The event will honor FJC Security Services, led by Chairman and founder Frank J. Califano, Sr. FJC has for more than a decade provided security services for seven shelters managed by SCO serving more than 1,000 people each day. Other honorees include SCO Board Chair Kelly L. Williams, former Corporate General Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, and longtime supporters Steven and Leslie Marentis of Old Brookville, NY.
Read MoreHillary Clinton and Chirlane McCray Announce “Talk To Your Baby” Campaign at SCO/FirstStepNYC
April 1, 2015 / SCO News
NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray and Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited SCO Family of Services’ SCO/FirstStepNYC early childhood education center Wednesday, April 1, 2015 to jointly launch New York City’s “Talk To Your Baby, Their Brain Depends On It” public awareness campaign, urging parents to talk, read and sing to their babies from birth. Clinton, McCray and Deputy Mayor Richard Buery announced a collaboration between the New York City Children’s Cabinet and the Clinton Foundation's Too Small to Fail children's initiative that will feature major public awareness campaigns and a new partnership with Scholastic Inc. to distribute baby book bundles to hundreds of thousands of new NYC parents. These efforts will focus on closing the “word gap.” Studies have found that by age four, children in middle- and upper-income families hear 30 million more words than their lower-income peers. This disparity in hearing words from parents and caregivers translates directly into a disparity in learning words. And that puts our children born with the fewest advantages even further behind.
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Last year,
97%
of children in our early education centers met or exceeded national mathematics performance standards
We help
2,500
people with special needs develop skills to reach their full potential